Archives for January 2014

Grand Canyon/Tusayan Mayor Endorses Andy Tobin

Mayor Greg Bryan praises Tobin for his action during Government Shutdown, canyon closure
Tusayan Mayor Greg Bryan found himself at the center of the Grand Canyon closure during the government shutdown. While the state of Arizona was losing money, the town of Tusayan was driven to the brink of collapse. After Andy Tobin traveled to Tusayan and helped to broker the state-funded reopening of the canyon, Mayors from all of the canyon communities have rallied behind Andy’s campaign for Congress. Mayor Bryan adds his name to the canyon community endorsements for Tobin, along with Williams Mayor John Moore and Page Mayor Bill Diak.

“After much thought and frustration at the lack of support for our community from Congresswoman Kirkpatrick, I have made the decision to back Andy Tobin‘s bid to become our next District 1 US Congressman,” said Tusayan Mayor Greg Bryan. “During the government shutdown and Kirkpatrick’s continuous votes to protect ObamaCare over reopening the Grand Canyon, the community of Tusayan was among the towns hardest hit economically. The state of Arizona lost out on innumerable revenue from the Canyon being closed, which should never have happened. But locally, the tourism-driven community of Tusayan was brought to its knees when the restaurants, hotels and other local businesses were severely impacted.”

“Andy made the trip to Tusayan to see the effects of the Canyon closure first-hand. He listened, empathized and vowed to do anything in his power to help Tusayan recover. He reached out to the Grand Canyon National Park Administration, he talked to the Governor and he helped to broker the deal to fund the Canyon’s reopening using state funds.”

“Tobin is an honest, hard-working legislator who cares more about seeing Arizona prosper than he does about his own career. I know that when we elect him to Congress he will represent us loyally and fight for Arizona’s needs over party politics. That is why I am endorsing Andy Tobin for United States Congress.”

“I know that Mayor Bryan’s endorsement was one he thought about very carefully,” said Tobin. “The government shutdown and the Grand Canyon closure affected his community deeply. When we met in Tusayan, Mayor Bryan expressed to me his town’s heartbreaking frustration over the federal government’s dysfunction and lack of leadership from Kirkpatrick in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District. I’m glad that I was able to positively impact the town of Tusayan during such a tough time. Mayor Bryan will always have my support and my gratitude for his sincere endorsement.”

ABOUT ANDY TOBIN:

Andy Tobin and his wife of 27 years, Jennifer, are the proud parents of five children- three daughters and two sons. Tobin is a small business owner who has devoted his life to positively affecting his community through job creation, public service and advocating for conservative principles. Tobin’s focus has been on creating sustainable jobs, helping small businesses succeed, building a stronger middle class and putting Arizona back on track. While serving as Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, Tobin drastically cut government by 25 percent, balanced Arizona’s budget and presided over the largest tax cuts in Arizona’s history, saving Arizona taxpayers millions of dollars.

Tobin has fought for your family’s freedoms, your prosperity and your community for the past six years while serving in the Arizona Legislature. He continues to lead the fight to stop the implementation of the disastrous ObamaCare. As your Representative in Congress, Andy Tobin will represent your voice, and lead the charge in fighting for you against the wasteful spending, government intrusion, and out-of-touch insiders that are taking away your freedoms.

Join Andy Tobin today!

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For more information, please contact Tobin for Congress Campaign Manager Craig Handzlik at press@andytobin.com or 928-275-1417.

TEMPE, AZ – Last night President Obama delivered his fifth State of the Union Address to the American people. Listening to him speak it was impossible not to be amazed by how disconnected the economic reality is for millions of families from his words and the results of his policies.

The truth is American families are financially worse off today as a direct result of Democrats’ policies. Over 102 million working-age Americans are not working[i]. Fewer people today have health insurance than in 2009[ii]. Income inequality – a favorite economic measurement of “Progressives” – is at the highest level since 1928[iii].

The “progressive” policies of career politicians like Kyrsten Sinema are actually regressive and destructive of the American middle class.

The answer to this misery is economic freedom. I’ll let Sinema defend ObamaCare, while I defend the families who’ve lost coverage and medical care. I’ll let her talk about minimum wage, while I fight for maximum employment. I’ll let her defend dangerous government spending, while I defend our children’s future and opportunities.

Economic freedom recognizes the dignity and value unique to each human being. Economic freedom empowers individuals to develop their unique God-given skills through work and opportunity.

The politics of dependency championed by Rep. Sinema, and those like her, is destructive. Let them talk about a handout, while we talk about a hand-up. Let them talk about dependency, while we talk about empowerment.

Hon. Dean Martin Endorses Mark Brnovich for Attorney General

Today, Republican candidate for Attorney General Mark Brnovich received the endorsement of the Honorable Dean Martin, former Arizona State Treasurer and State Senator.

“I am delighted to endorse Mark Brnovich for Attorney General,” said Martin. “Mark is the strong, dedicated, honest leader we need to be Arizona’s Top Law Enforcement Officer.” Martin continued, “Conservatives and moderates agree that we need honesty and integrity in our leaders, especially our Attorney General. For too long, Arizona has suffered with a dysfunctional Attorney General mired in scandals and criminal misconduct. We need Mark Brnovich to clean up this scandal-ridden office and bring honesty and integrity back to this high office. It is time for a new Attorney General, and I urge others to stand beside me for honest leadership. I am proud to endorse Mark Brnovich.”

As Senator, Martin was a leader in tax reform, immigration enforcement, and child predator legislation. Among his signature achievements, Martin authored the landmark “Chris’ Law”, which prevents child predators caught “red-handed” from posting bail and absconding justice. Martin also authored landmark legislation to prevent child predators on parole from moving in near schools.

Martin is familiar with the challenges facing the next Attorney General. Martin was elected State Treasurer in 2006 to clean up another scandal-ridden office after the previous Treasurer resigned in disgrace.

As Arizona’s Chief Financial Officer, Martin was responsible for the custody and management of state and local monies. Called “Chicken Little” by then Governor Janet Napolitano for his economic forecasts, time proved Martin right as his warnings were accurate predictions of the “Great Recession” and allowed him to earn taxpayers over $1.2 billion in profits from his investments. In 2011, Martin returned to the private sector and is currently an active member of the business community as an entrepreneur and multiple business owner.

Mark Brnovich remarked: “It is an honor to have the endorsement of a public servant like Dean Martin. Dean has shown that when you stand by principles and integrity, you can do great things for the people you represent.”

Raised in Arizona, Mark Brnovich is a graduate of Arizona State University. After law school, Mark prosecuted felonies in the Gang/Repeat Offender Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Arizona and as Assistant US Attorney for the District of Arizona. Mark also served his country as the Command Staff Judge Advocate for the 153rd Field Artillery Brigade of the Arizona Army National Guard for eight years. Mark met his wife Susan while both were working as prosecutors. They live in Phoenix with their two daughters.

Tom Horne Looks to Settle Latest Political Scandal

Disgraced Attorney General Tom Horne’s lawyers have reportedly reached a settlement with a former employee over her claims that she was targeted because of her political beliefs and for tipping off the FBI about his illegal campaign coordination.

Meg Hinchey is a former lead investigator with the attorney general’s office and previously filed a lawsuit against Tom Horne alleging that Horne and his employees engaged in an ongoing campaign to ruin Hinchey’s law enforcement career.

Republican Attorney General candidate Mark Brnovich is calling on Horne to disclose to the taxpayers the details of the settlement before any final deal is signed by the state.

“The public has a right to know what went on inside the attorney general’s office,” Brnovich said. “Did Horne seek retribution against his former employee and now he’s reached a settlement to keep that same employee quiet? Will taxpayer money or a taxpayer-funded insurance account be used to pay this settlement?”

Brnovich added: “Tom Horne is paid to uphold the state’s laws but increasingly finds himself on the other side of the law. We need an attorney general who works with law enforcement, not one who has his personal lawyer on speed dial.”

Horne is also trying to quietly settle a serious campaign finance violation that could cost him and an employee more than $1.2 million in fines.

ABOUT MARK BRNOVICH

Raised in Arizona, Mark Brnovich is a graduate of Arizona State University. After law school, Mark prosecuted felonies in the Gang/Repeat Offender Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Arizona and as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. Mark also served his country as the Command Staff Judge Advocate for the 153rd Field Artillery Brigade of the Arizona Army National Guard for eight years. Mark met his wife Susan while both were working as prosecutors. They live in Phoenix with their two daughters.

Coolidge Mayor Tom Shope Endorses Mark Brnovich for Attorney General

“I am proud to endorse Mark Brnovich for Attorney General. Mark’s professional experience, coupled with his dedication to conservative principles, make him an outstanding candidate to be our next Attorney General. I have no doubt that he will put both his experience and integrity to work and stand up for Arizonans and do what is right. Mark Brnovich is the right candidate for this job.”

Mark Brnovich remarked: “I am honored that Mayor Tom Shope has endorsed my candidacy for Arizona’s next Attorney General. Mayor Shope is a well respected voice in rural Arizona, has remained a steadfast advocate for the city of Coolidge, and has done a wonderful job in helping grow and maintain its local economy. His endorsement is continued assurance that my support is growing and widespread.”

Raised in Arizona, Mark Brnovich is a graduate of Arizona State University. After law school, Mark prosecuted felonies in the Gang/Repeat Offender Bureau of the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office and worked as an Assistant Attorney General for Arizona and as Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. Mark also served his country as the Command Staff Judge Advocate for the 153rd Field Artillery Brigade of the Arizona Army National Guard for eight years. Mark met his wife Susan while both were working as prosecutors. They live in Phoenix with their two daughters.

Thomas poised to take the conservative base in the gubernatorial primary

Republican precinct committeemen were buzzing that Andrew Thomas stole the show at the Arizona Republican Party Chairman’s Dinner. Read his speech and see for yourself why he was interrupted with strong applause multiple times and what the buzz is about.

A Fight Worth Having

By Andrew Thomas

Speech to the Arizona Republican Party Chairman’s Dinner

January 24, 2014

Phoenix, Arizona

Good evening.

I make it a practice not to begin speeches by quoting a liberal journalist. But I’m going to make an exception tonight because last week, Dan Balz of the Washington Post wrote something that I think all Republicans should heed.

“Over the past three decades,” he noted, “the political leanings of many states have shifted dramatically. What once was a sizable Republican advantage in the Electoral College has become a decided Democratic advantage.”

What he says is undeniably true. Structurally, over the past thirty years, Republicans have lost ground. Why?

I submit it’s for the same reason that, according to polls, most Americans believe our best days are in the past. It’s because Republicans are not properly standing up to the liberal bullies who are determined to destroy our country.

Lost Institutions

For decades, the political left has waged a quiet guerrilla war to capture institutions of American life that wield great power. These liberal activists have been very effective. Like the kingdoms in the The Lord of the Rings that fall one after another to Sauron, major institutions are now firmly liberal and hostile to the conservative values that built this nation.

These institutions include academia, Hollywood and the arts, the courts, the news media, even many churches. The Democratic left and their agenda have gained influence, accordingly, with the many leaders and citizens who value approval and acceptance by these elite groups.

The success of their efforts has brought us economic and social problems unthinkable only a few decades ago. Exploding government debt, broken borders, and disintegrating families are only part of the story.

These developments carry other grave consequences for the Republican Party and our state and nation. I’ll focus on two areas: education and immigration.

Allan Bloom Was Right

The states that are trending blue and Democrat have one thing in common. They are increasingly the home of college graduates. This should not come as a surprise. After all, college professors overwhelmingly are liberal Democrats, academia being one of the institutions completely overrun by liberal activists. Today, college students go heavily into debt to receive degrees they frequently can’t even use, and parents pay to have liberal professors indoctrinate their children politically on their dime.

Some 72 percent of college professors describe themselves as liberal. Only 15 percent call themselves conservative. A 2010 analysis by the Intercollegiate Studies Institute concluded that the more college degrees a person earns, the more liberal that person becomes.

When Americans are asked, for instance, whether they believe public-school teachers should be allowed to lead a prayer in school, 57 percent of high-school graduates say yes. That number drops to 40 percent for college graduates, 30 percent for master’s degree holders, and only 17 percent for Ph.D.’s.

The late Allan Bloom and other observers warned about the damaging effects of liberal bias in higher education. But this was a thorny problem to solve, and so it was ignored. Now, three decades later, it has changed the country. As a practical political matter, it has become much harder to elect Republicans.

Back Where We Began

Then there’s immigration. Ten years ago, I ran for Maricopa County Attorney on a platform of stopping illegal immigration. Liberal elites snickered that nothing could be done at the state level. Yet Arizona became a model for the nation, as we passed and enforced laws that sent illegal immigrants fleeing to other states.

The political left counterattacked by playing their trump card: calling on our liberal courts to nullify all these reforms. And so they have. Activist judges have struck down, one by one, every major crackdown on illegal immigration approved by the voters or their representatives. The main provisions of SB 1070. The human smuggling law. The day laborer law.

The result? Our gains have been erased, and we are right back where we started ten years ago. The voters of Arizona are waiting to see if the Republican Party is still serious about providing tough leadership to win this fight once and for all.

A Fight Worth Having

This election year, we will decide if our party is to succumb to the liberal trends overrunning so many other institutions, or if we will stand and fight for the principles that bind us. I say we must stand up and fight these people, and fight them hard.

These principles are right. These principles are true. Some of them are eternal. They are worth defending, without compromise.

Electing a real conservative will mean having a real fight. But that is a fight well worth having.

It’s time to start taking ground again. As Governor, I promise to do just that.

Embarrassing Spanish-language version of website is the least of its problems.

Hispanic Americans have a rocky relationship with the Affordable Care Act. After years of planning, the Spanish-language version of HealthCare.gov opened two months late and was only officially launched in January. But that was the least of the website’s problems.

The finished product turned out to be more punchline than health care portal. The glitchy “Spanglish” site is not only a technical disaster; it’s also an embarrassment to the Spanish-language and a sign of disrespect to the Hispanic-American community, for whom much is at stake in the health care debate. According to the Census Bureau, just under 30%of the Hispanic community lacks health insurance. This is 50% higher than the African-American rate of 19% and nearly triple the white rate of 11%.

Despite these numbers, the Affordable Care Act isn’t exactly incentivizing us to sign up. Beyond the broken and insulting website, the law encourages Hispanics to forgo health insurance in the same way that it alienates the youth: It’s prohibitively expensive.

Hispanic Americans are much younger than the general population. Our median age is only 27, a full 10 years younger than the national average. We are thus disproportionately harmed by the skyrocketing premiums that the law afflicts on the young.

This is particularly true for states with high Hispanic populations. Nationally, the average 27-year-old man is facing a 41% premium hike, according to Forbes. In New Mexico — the state with the highest percentage of Hispanics — Forbes estimates the average 27-year old’s premiums jumped by 160% for men and 146% for women. California’s is better only by comparison (they’re looking at an average increase of 42%), while Florida’s premiums spiked by 64% for men and 30% for women. Even after subsidies, these numbers can still be too steep for many Hispanics to pay.

A less well-documented problem is how the Affordable Care Act makes it harder for Hispanic Americans to find doctors. Although we account for 17% of the country’s population, only 5% of physicians are Hispanic. This has led to chronic doctor shortages in our communities. Overall, our culture is classified as underserved by the Department of Health and Human Services, meaning that our communities typically have more than 2,000 patients per doctor.

The Affordable Care Act has only exacerbated these problems by restricting the number of doctors covered under Obamacare health plans. Thousands of Hispanic Americans have also lost their insurance in recent months; still others have lost their doctors.

My organization talked to Grazie Christie, a Hispanic-American doctor in South Florida, about how the law has affected her practice. She had no shortage of concerns, arguing above all that the Affordable Care Act does not “place patients first.” As someone who entered the medical profession precisely because she wanted to help, it now pains her to tell her patients, “I don’t have an answer” for whether she’ll still be able to treat them in the future.

Given the realities they’re facing with the Affordable Care Act, it’s no surprise that Hispanics have largely shunned the law. While the latest Obamacare numbers don’t include a breakdown by race, before the Obama administration’s “Spanglish” website launched, officials indicated that fewer than 6,000 Hispanics signed up for insurance in the program’s first two months in California — the model state for sign-ups with a well-run website. In New Mexico, where 47% of the state’s 2.1 million residents are Hispanic or Latino, the number of sign-ups for those months was fewer than 1,000.

If the bureaucrats who wrote CuidadoDeSalud.gov are reading this, those numbers translate roughly into “no gracias.”

Daniel Garza is the executive director of The LIBRE Initiative. View his personal story on YouTube (below)

Andy Tobin Raises More Than $232,000

Coupled with key endorsements, campaign well prepared for 2014

Andy Tobin is proud to announce that he raised more than $232,000 during his first quarter in the race for Congress in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District, which ended Dec. 31st. More than 90 percent of Tobin’s individual donations came from his fellow Arizonans.

Tobin credited the fundraising success to strong grassroots support across Arizona. Coupled with a long list of key grassroots endorsements, Tobin’s campaign enters 2014 in a strong position to defeat Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick in November.

“It’s no surprise that Arizonans are enthusiastically contributing their time, energy and resources to Andy’s campaign for Congress,” said Tobin Finance Committee Chairman Jim Click. “I am thrilled with the fundraising effort so far but there’s a lot of work left to do. I urge Arizonans to continue to contribute their time and efforts to defeating Ann Kirkpatrick and electing Andy to represent our state in Congress.”

“I am so grateful to all our supporters for helping us with this early success,” said Tobin. “I know it’s a big deal to open your wallet and donate your hard-earned money. I appreciate the graciousness of those who have opened their homes to host fundraising events or who have met me for an early-morning coffee or lunch. I am thrilled to have a winning team behind me as we continue pounding the pavement throughout the district.”

ABOUT ANDY TOBIN:

Andy Tobin and his wife of 27 years, Jennifer, are the proud parents of five children- three daughters and two sons. Tobin is a small business owner who has devoted his life to positively affecting his community through job creation, public service and advocating for conservative principles. Tobin’s focus has been on creating sustainable jobs, helping small businesses succeed, building a stronger middle class and putting Arizona back on track. While serving as Speaker of the Arizona House of Representatives, Tobin drastically cut government by 25 percent, balanced Arizona’s budget and presided over the largest tax cuts in Arizona’s history, saving Arizona taxpayers millions of dollars.

Tobin has fought for your family’s freedoms, your prosperity and your community for the past six years while serving in the Arizona Legislature. He continues to lead the fight to stop the implementation of the disastrous ObamaCare. As your Representative in Congress, Andy Tobin will represent your voice, and lead the charge in fighting for you against the wasteful spending, government intrusion, and out-of-touch insiders that are taking away your freedoms.

ABOUT JIM CLICK:

Jim Click Jr. is Chairman of the Board of Jim Click Automotive. Click started his work-life selling cars for his uncle in Los Angeles where he was promoted to Sales Manager within 2 years. In 1971, Jim Click bought his first dealership in Tucson.

Click graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business. He was a scholastic All-American football player in 1966. He also was Tucson’s Man of the Year in 1982. President Bill Clinton honored him with the Presidents Award for the development of LINKAGES in 1999.

Join Andy Tobin today!

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For more information, please contact Tobin for Congress Campaign Manager Craig Handzlik at press@andytobin.com or 928-275-1417.

Today was the 41st anniversary of the horrific unjust human rights violation we call Roe v. Wade. Since January 22, 1973, 55 MILLION unborn children have been lost to the violent act of abortion – the act that destroys the sacred bond between mother and child.

One of the most prominent leaders on this issue has been Arizona’s Congressman Trent Franks.

Twenty-three years ago, I met Trent in the cultural conservative movement and he was as passionate on this issue then as he is now. And I think I can honestly and accurately say that his passion for the sanctity of life has been contagious to tens of thousands of Arizonans.

Congressman Franks now carries the torch of leadership in the Pro-Life Movement – a distinguished honor once carried by others like the late Honorable Henry Hyde.

I write this post from a personal perspective. Congressman Trent Franks is one of my heroes because he inspired me to stand up for those who have no voice.

May we tarry on for the greatest cause of our lives – the sacred honor of protecting innocent human life.

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